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Background   
Common Midas Concepts   
   + Version Numbering   
   + Basic Features   
   + Data Types   
   - Blue Files   
      - Basics   
      - Structure   
      - Detached   
      - File Types   
         - Type 1000   
         - Type 2000   
         - Type 3000   
         - Type 5000   
         - Type 6000   
      - Extended Type 3000/5000   
      - Qualifiers   
      - Trimmers   
      - ConsLength   
      - Time Code   
   + Lab 1   
Getting Started - Part 1   
Getting Started - Part 2   
Working with Files   
Option Trees   
Macros - Part 1 (Basics)   
Macros - Part 2 (Graphics)   
NetBeans - Part 1 (Setup)   
NetBeans - Part 2 (GUIs)   
NetBeans - Part 3 (Profiler)   
Eclipse - Part 1 (Setup)   
Eclipse - Part 2 (GUIs)   
Primitives   
Applets & WebStart   
Maps & Imagery   
X-Midas Interoperability   
RMIF & Remoting   
Installing NeXtMidas   
Support & Maintenance   
File Handlers   


  • Classes of Blue Files:
    Type 1000
    One-dimensional data.
    Typically used for raw signal data.
    Type 2000
    Two-dimensional frame based data.
    Typically used to show Frequency vs Time (e.g. post-FFT signal data).
    Type 3000
    Record-based data (limited to 26 subrecords). Similar to a flat-file database.
    Rarely plotted, but frequently listed.
    Type 4000 (Not supported by NeXtMidas)
    Key/value pairs, used by X-Midas as a work-around for not having tables.
    Type 5000
    Record-based data (limited to 14 subrecords) with system modeling parameters.
    Typically used for geodetic positions and features.
    Type 6000
    An extension of Type 3000 files, allows for more complex records.
    Most newer applications prefer to use XML over Type 6000 files.
  • Types of Blue Files:
    • Each of the above classes has one generic form (e.g. Type 1000 for the class of Type 1000 files) and many specific forms (e.g. Type 1001, 1002, and 1003 for the class of Type 1000 files).
      • The specific types in a class tell the processors that there is a special way in which the file should be interpreted.
        • Example: A Type 1999 file stores sets of connected points that need to be plotted in a special way (see world.prm).
      • (While it is less confusing to refer to the type classes as Type 1xxx, 2xxx, 3xxx, etc (rather than Type 1000, 2000, 3000, etc), this is not the accepted practice of the Midas community.)